HOMEWOOD, Ala. (WIAT) — Holiday shoppers are out in full force and so are criminals. Car break ins are pretty common in the big shopping areas.

“Most of the time, they see something they think is valuable,” Sgt. John Carr said. Carr is with the Homewood Police Department.

That’s why police always tell you to keep your purchases out of plain sight. A string of car break-ins in Homewood has police reminding people that burglaries also happen in neighborhoods. Several cars in Homewood were broken into this week, all right in the same area off Broadway. Carr says it’s really easy to stop a thief.

“Take your valuables out of your car and make sure you lock your car,” he said. Carr says that thieves will walk down a street and check car door handles. If they’re locked, usually they move on. If they see something inside that’s valuable, they could bust a window. Carr says the best way to make sure your stuff is safe is to take it inside.

“You know, when you get done shopping, in particular when you come home in the evenings, take your stuff out of your car. That’s what they look for. They look to see what’s inside that vehicle and if it looks like something valuable they’re going to make an attempt to get into it.”